Is it Happy Ever After?
by farmermum
Summary: When your marriage hasn't turned out to be quite what you would wish for sometimes you just have to change things.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Actually, yes, I can recall the day that I decided things couldn't carry on as before. Not just the day but the hour, the moment that I finally snapped.

Spring had begun in earnest in the Valley and the fields were full of newly sprouting tomatoes and curly watermelon vines. The fruit trees that gave my farm its name were bursting into blossom, even some of my experimental trees. Everywhere the world was waking up from a cold, frustrating Winter and I should have been full of hope but my heart was heavy, my future blocked at every turn. Yesterday had been a wonderful day, a wedding shared with the whole valley. We'd all congregated at Vesta's farm to witness the marriage of Marlin and Celia. At long last he'd woken up to Celia's quiet devotion and recognised where his true future lay. The groom walked around in a happy dream hardly able to come to terms with the fact that such happiness was his, Celia positively glowed with love and I could tell from the way her hand strayed to her stomach that she'd taken to heart the talk we'd had that Winter by the Goddess pool. Vesta nodded at me and smiled when she noticed where I was looking, a man with such a stake in the future had less of a tendency to look to the past. The day was warm and relaxed, full of good food and even better company but as the day wore on my husband began to show his true colours. As usual he couldn't bear not being the centre of attention and the free bar proved too much of a temptation. Inevitably as the drink flowed his voice became louder and louder and his actions became more embarrassing. I could feel people looking at me in that pitying way I'd come to know so well since the birth of my son, Joel. Ruby and Tim had had years of this but for me it still rankled. Nami came over and tactfully suggested she could do with some fresh air and I followed her out into the tiny garden Celia had planted beside the greenhouses. Gustafa brought out o chair for his heavily pregnant wife as well as cool glasses of lemonade. We sat quietly watching Joel play in the grass and talking. As the evening drew in I took my son home to bed but by this time my braggart of a husband had disappeared. It was in the small hours of the morning that I heard him stumble in, banging into things and slamming the doors. He was really full of himself that evening. I tried to pretend that I was asleep but he wanted to continue his fun and the one thing I could say for Rock was that no matter how much he had to drink it never affected his performance or his self belief. So, I put a smile on my face, went along with him and made yet another big mistake.

I woke about 6am and stumbled from the bed. I could see Rock sprawled next to me, his blonde hair spread out on the pillow, the smell of liquor ripe on his breath. Quickly, I dressed and went in to check on Joel. He was awake and grizzling, a sweet child but, at that moment, wet and hungry. I scooped him up and moved into the kitchen, put on some porridge and went to change his nappy in the bathroom. We both had breakfast and then I settled him in a playpen in the barn while I milked the cows. Our jobs done by eleven we returned to the farmhouse but Rock was still where I'd left him. Not that I'd expected any less! Wearily I bent down to pick up the clothes he'd strewn all over the floor. They were yet another expensive new outfit and they were ruined. The trousers had mud and grass all over them but as I picked up the jacket my heart froze. There were traces of make up on the sleeve, two long strands of shiny, dark blonde hair were wound around the top button but, more than that, was the perfume that wafted from the folds of cloth. Not my perfume, the gentle scent of lilies that I kept in the tall purple bottle but the heady perfume of Moon Goddess flowers that only one woman in Forget-me-not Valley could afford. I recognised it straight away and sat down heavily on the bedroom floor. And that was it that was the moment when I cracked. NO MORE! Something had to be done.


	2. Chapter 2

Harvest Moon story – Chapter 2

Harvest Moon story – Chapter 2

So, why did I marry Rock ? Now that's a good question.You'd think with my upbringing I'd have seen through someone like Rock with ease. Still things are never quite as simple as they seem and hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I arrived in the valley about two years before the birth of Joel. Funnily enough I'd been born in the valley but my father was killed in a fishing accident while I was still a baby. My mother had come from Mineral Town and she hated the place and couldn't wait to leave. Apparently she had fallen in love with my father, Marty as soon as she had set eyes on him at a dance in Rose Square. Throwing caution to the wind she had run off with him only to discover that, for her, the valley was even worse than Mineral Town. She always said that the only unforgettable thing about Forget-me-not Valley was the mind numbing boredom of the place. Unhappily for mum by the time the first flush of love had died away she was pregnant and penniless. She made no friends in the valley and couldn't wait to leave. We left the valley just two days after the funeral taking all the farms money and no note of explanation. The rest of my childhood and adolescence was spent like gypsies, moving on from place to place whenever the fancy took her. On the morning of my eighteenth birthday mum was packing for yet another move and I decided it was time we parted company. I needed somewhere to belong, somewhere to call my own. I was tired of drifting and my soul yearned for an anchor. I found I was drawn to the idea of Forget-me-not-Valley so, despite all my mothers' warnings about it and the collection of creepy characters that lived there, I wrote to Takakura, my fathers old friend and partner. He immediately wrote back and invited me to visit. By coincidence I arrived on New Years Day. It felt like an omen especially when Takakura invited me to take over my fathers half of the farm with a view to owning the whole thing eventually. It was obvious the poor old guy really wanted this, he'd cleaned up the old farmhouse, and he'd even bought a cow. There was nothing creepy about poor old Takakura, just someone a bit grumpy and slightly pathetic. I agreed and Thomas, the plump little Mayor from Mineral Town, came over with the legal papers for me to sign. I'd expected something of the sort but one of the clauses was unusual to say the least. I read through the papers carefully and looked up ion astonishment at the final clause – by the end of my first full year on the farm I had to have married, failure to do so would result in me forfeiting the farm. I found it amusing but felt I understood the reason for it. Thomas knew my mother from the past and her treatment of Takakura still rankled in the valley. This time he'd sunk everything he had left into the farm for me and, even though that wasn't much, the tools were old and heavy, just two small fields were cleared and just two bags of tomato seed sat on the shelf, it was probably all he had. With a smile and a shrug I signed the papers. After all it couldn't be that difficult. I wasn't that bad looking, no potential beauty queen but I had a good brain, a decent figure, thick brown hair and large eyes, surely I wouldn't have that much trouble in finding a good husband. Looking back I can't believe how naïve I was. Still, if only they'd known that it really didn't make any difference to me, from the moment I set foot on the beach I knew I was home. I could feel it strike through me from the bottoms of my feet to the depths of my soul and I would never, ever leave again – no matter what.

So my life in the valley began and I threw myself into it with everything I had. The work was back breaking, so much harder than I'd anticipated but at the same time satisfying. At the end of the day I'd collapse into bed exhausted but content. There were so many things that the farm needed and I could barely afford anything. I spent all my free time collecting wild flowers to sell and fishing, something I'd done to make money in my childhood when things were bad. I was very apprehensive about my reception with the villagers but this soon vanished. As the saw how hard I was working on the farm they couldn't have been kinder. They were on oddly mixed lot but so open and helpful. They appreciated even the smallest effort on my part to be friends. It slowly dawned on my that I was not the only wanderer seeking to make this place home. Tim and Ruby, the couple running the Inner Inn had travelled, especially Tim. Ruby, his wife, was valley born and bred and a wonderful cook, but Tim had travelled the world. This shy, plump, dark haired couple were the parents of a startlingly handsome blonde. It was some time before I figured out the set up there. Rock wasn't their child he was adopted, in a way. Just before Tim and Ruby opened up the Inner Inn their own son had died and soon after that a friend asked them to look after her son while she went away for a few days and she never returned. From the beginning Rock was very attentive. He had a light charm that made me smile. He'd appear by me on the road, by the pool, even on the farm but for all his good looks and flattering manner there was something about him I found hard to take seriously.

As the year moved on I began to assess my choices and one by one I rejected them. Griffin – too old and just not interested. Daryl- too crazy and out of contact with the real world even to notice. Cody – another valley resident wholly absorbed by his art as were the twins. Marlin – Now he was interested but I just couldn't feel that way about him. I tried to dissuade him as gently as I could and Vesta, his sister, realised this. She showed her appreciation becoming quite motherly towards me. Celia also held out the hand of friendship to me. I'd never really had friends before; we never stayed in one place long enough. Friendship was the reason for rejecting yet another prospect, Gustafa. I really liked him and could easily have turned liking into something more if it hadn't been for Nami. Nami with the spiky crimson hair and the spiky manner was just another rootless soul like me and we quickly became friends. Another thing I saw just as quickly was how much she felt for Gustafa. So that was the end of that. Then there was Carter. Right from the start he fascinated me. I'd go up to the excavation site and help out with the dig. He let me keep the things I found there providing much needed revenue for the farm. We'd talk late into the night about all sorts of things, the three of us Carter, Flora and myself. I felt drawn to his strength, his sense of purpose, his compassion but he remained merely friendly. At first I thought this was because of Flora but it became clear she didn't care for Carter that way. So finally I was drawn back to Rock. I wasn't to know that one of the reasons for his attentiveness and his continual presence was that Tim and Ruby had stopped his allowance. His over spending, constant trips to the city and a hushed up scandal with a married woman in Mineral Town had led them to restrict him to the valley. Also they'd observed his attraction to me and they were keeping their fingers crossed. So, as Winter drew to a close I married Rock hoping that a marriage would settle him down.

Oh, at first he was good, he was attentive even helpful to a point. When I became pregnant he was like a peacock strutting around the valley. This didn't last though. He got tired of playing the dutiful husband and slowly he reverted to his old ways. As the farm began to make money he spent it. The escapade at the Goddess pool wasn't the first time. Carter found him in a compromising position with a young girl from Mineral town called Mary. After hauling him off her Carter kicked my naked husband into the waterfall. He informed the humiliated girl of Rocks married status and then took the now hysterical girl home. There was an almighty row and I really think Carter would have killed Rock if he could have got his hands on him. Rock tried to say Mary had come on to him. When this was laughed away he admitted it had all been a mistake, some foolishness he deeply regretted but that he had been feeling very low and UN loved. He said it was my fault making him feel second best, pushing him away, making him feel unwanted now I was pregnant. We all knew this was rubbish but there was enough of a kernel of truth there for me to feel uncomfortable Carter wanted me to boot him out there and then but I assured him I was fine. Rock even tried to justify his affair by accusing Carter of making a play for me. Rock promised it would never happen again and I promised to look more to him and to turn away from my friendships at the waterfall. God knows I tried harder after that to make Rock feel secure. He was quiet and withdrawn but soon back to his old ways. The trips to Mineral Town resumed and he'd disappear with pockets full of profits leaving me to struggle. And then there was the day of the wedding.

Initially, after my discovery, I was so furious I just wanted to run away. I was so angry with Rock I couldn't even speak. How dare he treat me this way again, how could he care so little for the promises he'd made. This time it was just so much worse. I know this girl, this silly little girl, flattered by his attentions, deceived by his lies. I was furious with both of them. She needed her upper class face slapping, she needed protecting. \Luckily Joel was asleep in hi cot because I fled the farmhouse without a thought as to where I was going. The next thing I knew I was by the waterfall, on my knees weeping as though my heart would break. Carter came rushing out of the site and swept me up into his arms. Eventually he got me to tell him and Flora everything. He quieted me and stopped me from just running there and then. He urged me not to do anything I'd regret. He reminded me of all the hard work I'd put into the farm, how could I bear to lose all that to Rock and What about Joel's future? Carter promised me he'd help me whatever I decided to do, reminded me that I wasn't alone but by now I'd calmed down and was thinking more clearly. Flora told us that she'd been fearful that something like this would happen and then told us her secret; She and Rock had been lovers on and off before I arrived in the valley but he'd dropped her to pursue me. She knew he hadn't changed even if she had.

With their help a plan began to form in my mind. There had to be some way to get Rock to leave and for me to keep hold of the farm. Before I did anything though I needed to know where I stood legally. I couldn't go through Thomas, both he and Takakura were old fashioned enough to believe that the man was the head of the household and the woman did as she was told. There was no way Rock wouldn't find out anything I did. Who could I go to? If I was to pull this off Rock couldn't know anything. Chris!! She worked in the city for a firm of lawyers and Rock would never suspect me of just going to visit another housewife. I would go to see Chris and ask her help in finding out just where I stood. Anything I didn't mind Rock finding out could go through Thomas. I would go and sound her out as son as possible. Then there was Romana. Now that was an interview I wasn't looking forward to at all but it had to be done. Lumina had to be dealt with delicately in order not to raise suspicion and how Romana reacted was the lynchpin to my whole plan. Firstly I would have to go home and play the dutiful wife and mother. Rock mustn't know yet what fate had in store for him. Let him enjoy himself while he could.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

I returned home and went straight to watering the crops. Rock came out of the house carrying Joel and handed him over, a frown on his face. He was obviously nursing the inevitable hangover and didn't seem to have even noticed I'd been missing. Straightening up I hefted Joel onto my hip and forced myself to ask how he was. Rock mumbled an answer and then told me he was going out. I just smiled and went through the usual routine of asking when he'd be back. Rock told me not to fuss and walked away. This was how it was for the next few weeks, me pretending that everything was fine and Rock going on his merry way.

As soon as I thought it was safe to do so I went to visit Chris. It was Van's usual market day and I made my normal purchases at his stall. I hung around longer than usual, pretending to look at the Blue Bar's field and the well until Chris came out to buy from Van. Moving alongside I began a conversation with her and asked if I could possibly ask for some advice about children's food. I could tell there were several ears listening as we moved away chatting happily. Once inside the house Chris made a pot of tea and invited me to sit. Then I made it clear to her that the advice I needed was a little more than help with weaning. She listened intently to my story, nodding unhappily as she heard what I had to say. Tears glistened behind her winged spectacles and a new serious expression showed her concern. Chris asked questions and jotted down details on her Blackberry. She suggested we look into the papers that Thomas and Takakura had drawn up for the farm. She also suggested that I made a will excluding Rock from inheriting the farm if we could. As we talked things through I was impressed with Chris's efficient, professional manner, such a contrast to the slightly melancholy Chris I saw at home. From there I decided to go and see Romana while my confidence was high.

On the climb up the hill to the mansion I felt so frightened I was physically sick in one of the bushes. By the time I was knocking on the door my head was spinning. If Sebastian had taken more than two minutes to answer the door I'd have turned and fled. He ushered me into the large open reception room and asked me to wait. It's such a fantastic room, practically a ballroom with a huge soaring staircase and dominated by Lumina's grand piano. There was a deep quiet in that room and a wonderfully rich smell of beeswax and money. In no time at all Sebastian reappeared and escorted me into a smaller, more personal sitting room. It was a beautiful room, obviously the main dwelling place of someone with a love of antiques. Romana had a fire blazing even though it was quite balmy outside at her age she easily felt the cold. Sitting in her rocking chair, she smiled warmly and welcomed me to her home. This didn't make me feel any easier considering what I was about to tell her about her ward. As I explained my reasons for being there her good manners never wavered, she didn't interrupt me or shout her indignation but waited for me to finish my sorry tale. She coldly but calmly asked whether I was sure of my facts and expressed her belief that Lumina would never have been so foolish or ill bred to do what I had suggested. She rang for Sebastian and requested him to ask Miss Lumina to join us. It was as Sebastian told her that Miss Lumina had left the mansion after receiving a phone call from a young man that I could see the truth begin to dawn on her. Sebastian turned to leave but Romana asked him to stay and then asked me to repeat the information I had given her. He was deeply shocked. Romana took a deep breath and faced me. She began to tell me that she would question Lumina as soon as she returned home and that she would deal with the mattered. I had to dissuade her from this course of action as quickly as I could because as soon as Lumina knew she'd been found out so would Rock and with it would go any chance of me freeing myself from him. I know it was a little cruel of me, Lumina would be safe but I wouldn't be, well, not in the way I hoped. Romana was unhappy but she did agree to listen to my plan. As I carried on she began to relax and nod in agreement. By following my plan Lumina would end up unhappy but her relationship with Romana wouldn't be damaged and, if everything went to plan, she would learn a salutary lesson in life. After all I was the injured party here and surely I had to have a chance to set things right for Joel and myself. I can remember holding my breath just waiting for her answer, if my plan was to work it needed both the carrot and the stick. I could supply the stick but I needed Romana for the carrot. Finally, she'd looked me deeply in the eye and agreed to everything. She ordered Sebastian to find that small, scruffy little man that habitually hung around the kitchen door and bring him up to the mansion as we had a job fro him. He could tail Lumina and report back without arousing any suspicion. After an hour of discussion I walked home. My heart felt a little lighter but I knew we had a long way to go before I was safe and there was an awful lot that could go wrong but at least things were moving.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Didn't Rock suspect anything? You obviously never knew Rock or you wouldn't even ask the question.

So, for the next few weeks it went forward. Rock noticed nothing that wasn't directed openly at him or manufactured by him. His actions, his thoughts that he thought so cunning and secret were known to us but never acknowledged while all around him there lived a whole landscape of silence and subterfuge. Of plans not said but whispered, a future moving forward with slow but sure steps. Chris sent me a note inviting me to tea to talk over plans for a baby shower for both Celia and Nami. Rock saw nothing amiss in this he even encouraged me to go; now he'd know where I'd be for a few hours. On my way to Chris's house I managed to waylay Murray and send a note to Romana to warn her. Chris had some bad news for me about the farm. It seems that when I married Rock his name was added to the farm deeds as joint owner. If I was to divorce him I'd lose half the farm to him and he'd be able to sell his half to anyone he wished. I had no chance of being able to buy it from him not with all the money he'd spent. I'd even have problems forcing him to leave. She could see that this really shook me but then, after a cup of tea and a kind smile, she told me of the way she thought we could get round this. With luck we could sort things out. Firstly, continuing the baby shower club would be a great way to cover up our meetings. If we included the other women such as Vesta, Ruby, Flora, Muffy and Samantha it could be a pleasant way of spending a few evenings. It would arouse no suspicion and provide the perfect cover for passing and receiving information.

My next step was to contact Mayor Thomas to see about taking out life insurance for both Rock and myself. I introduced the topic to Rock one night in bed, a time when I knew he wouldn't really be listening to anything other than his own desires and a time that he would agree to almost anything. When Thomas came over to discuss the matter with both of us I was especially careful to make it appear that the idea was all Rock's and, with Thomas's approval ringing in his ears, he soon believed that it was. I was also careful to insure both us for the same amounts so as not to arouse suspicion.

The following Thursday I set out for the Baby Shower Club with the documents secreted in my rucksack. Rock demanded I take Joel with me, as he had to go out too. He didn't say where but I could guess and I hoped that Romana had Lumina covered. I set off to Chris's with Joel on my hip. I didn't take my horse, Willow, as I felt quite sick. This wasn't the first time either but I put it down to all the stress I was under. It must have been more noticeable than I thought as several of the women commented on it and, at Ruby's insistence, I agreed to go see Dr Hardy. The others made a real fuss of Joel and their solicitude was balm to a bruised heart. Flora and I were the last to leave the meeting. We both left with a brand new digital camera courtesy of Romana, as had Murray, and I with a second document in my rucksack. I was home well before Rock who didn't appear until after all the chores were done and Joel safely in bed. I tried not to be angry at his self-satisfied manner but it wasn't easy, as I still felt so ill. Rock was surprisingly tender, smoothing my hair and gently sponging my face after I'd been sick. He was pleased when I told him about the doctor's appointment, he'd been worried how grumpy and unlike myself I'd been just lately. No, it wasn't going to be easy at all.

I didn't make the appointment the following day, I felt a lot better and there was something else that needed to be done that was much more urgent. Over lunch I produced the document that I'd collected from Chris. I told Rock that the insurance company had insisted on both of us having a will and that they sent several examples for us to look at. I'd told him I knew he hated that sort of thing so I'd looked them over and produced a joint will that I hoped he'd approve of but I wanted him to look it over to make sure I'd done it right. There were three sheets, the first two basically said that if Rock died I got everything and if I died he got the lot. If both of us died everything went to Joel and any subsequent children of the marriage with Tim and Ruby as guardians if they were underage. Rock read through pages one and two and page three was for signatures, the witnesses and ours. I waited for him to finish reading and then asked who he'd like to witness the will. I didn't suggest anyone but waited for him. Rock sat watching me and then smiled and suggested Takakura and Wally, Chris's husband. \I had to agree even though I was uneasy about involving Wally but it turned out better than I could have wished. When it came to it Takakura signed without reading beyond the first few lines and when we reached Wally's house it was Chris who answered the door. She was working from home that day and explained that Wally was away in the city but she'd be glad to witness the will instead. Rock agreed and seemed please by how much attention she paid to the wording, praising him for his taking care of his family this way. It was all I could do not to laugh when she suggested that she drop the will off in town the following day to save us having to post it. Only Chris and I knew that what Rock and I had signed was not the whole will. When Rock had read the will the pages had not been numbered but now, when Chris out the will in the envelope, they were. Now there were four pages not three. The extra page contained the clause the if either Rock or myself were to leave the other for more than three years the one who left would forfeit all rights to the farm and the farms money and there would be an automatic divorce. The one who left would also forfeit all custody of any children from that marriage. These were the clauses that Rock had not seen. Now the scene was set. All we needed was enough photographic evidence of Rock and Lumina; I already had a large cheque in Rock's name from Romana. It was so near; soon I'd be free of him forever.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

You want to know how we got from that to what happened to Rock?

In the papers it told how there was an accident at the waterfall that late summer evening. Flora was the one who found the body. Close by the waterfall there was a large pile of boulders that had come away from the looming cliff wall, they lay there half in and half out of the foaming crystal waters. Flora had come out of the tent early that morning after a very difficult night. The evening before, as she told Harris when he came to investigate, she and Carter had been caught underground when one wall of the dig chamber had collapsed. They both told Harris that they had no idea what had caused the disaster but it had taken them until the early hours of the morning to dig themselves out. Exhausted, they had both just fallen asleep. They hadn't known anything about the resultant rock fall above ground until the morning. Edging closer to the waters to investigate Flora had spotted the bright blue arm of Rocks jacket. However, it was across the stream from where she was stood and the flow from the waterfall was so intense there was no way she could cross. When questioned by Harris she told how Carter had sent her for Dr Hardy and told her to meet him on the other side of the gorge. Once there they realised the fall of rock was too heavy for them to move alone. Flora had then gone for help from some of the Valley men and returned with Gustafa, Griffin and Cody. Together they had helped to clear the debris. Under there they'd found Rock's body sprawled face down, his golden hair matted with dirt and dark blood, his skull dented and crushed. Harris wanted to know if anyone had seen Rock by the waterfall but no one there had. They'd then come down to the farm and woken me. Ruby answered the door; she'd stayed the night with me, as I'd still felt so ill. She'd come to help me with Joel who had a cold and was sleeping badly. Dr. Harris gently told me what had happened and then stayed with me while the men brought Rock's body home. They laid him out in the little shed by the large field so that Dr. Hardy could examine him in peace. There was no real mystery as to cause of death as the shocking evidence to Rock's skull showed. There were other broken bones but the head wounds left no doubt. Harris questioned everyone closely as to when they'd last seen Rock and I had to admit that I hadn't seen him since noon and that he was often away from home. The policeman was unhappy at having to press me but the question of what Rock was doing at the waterfall had to be answered. I muttered that Rock often picked Goddess drop flowers for me there but everyone knew that these grew in Spring not Summer. Flora agreed that she'd also seen Rock there picking flowers but had to add that it wasn't recently. It was then that Ruby told us all how it had been Rock's habit, from being a small boy, to hide out at the waterfall whenever he was upset or in trouble. It was also then that we had to admit to Harris that Rock had learned the day before that he was to be a father again. I'd gone to see Dr. Hardy after several more bouts of sickness and discovered the true depths of my mistake that night after Celia's wedding. I was nearly five months pregnant and I hadn't even noticed. Of course I hadn't known, well, maybe I'd had a subconsciously I'd had a suspicion but I'd refused to face the possibility. The whole stress of the situation had affected my appetite and I'd never been ill or sick when I was carrying Joel. As this was a second pregnancy Dr. Hardy was amazed I hadn't spotted what was happening but when he weighed me I was actually four pounds lighter than usual. I'd had no choice but to tell Rock straight away as he had gone with me and was sat outside with Joel. He'd been very quiet and said nothing all the way home. Rock certainly wasn't enthusiastic about this forth-coming birth as he had been with Joel. He demanded to know what I thought I was playing at hiding it from him. How could I let him down like this. The he stormed out of the house yelling I'd get no help from him. I'd cried for ages after he'd gone. I'd known he wouldn't be pleased but I didn't think he'd take it that badly, like a peeved little boy. I could hear a few shocked in-drawn breaths behind me and Ruby put her arm around me. She knew her only son too well. Harris left us at this but we knew that was not the end of it and he'd be back.

Later, at the inquest, we all heard the results of his investigations. He'd gone all round the Valley and he'd found three sightings of Rock that afternoon. Murray had seen him going up to the waterfall in the early afternoon. Rock had been muttering to himself and had swatted Murray out of his way. Hugh confirmed this as he had passed both men on his way down from the Goddess pool. It was about 5.30 pm, he knew this because he had been doing some stamina training, running up and down the steep path and he was on his last lap and had been timing himself. The third sighting was by Lumina. She admitted seeing Rock by the waterfall in the early evening also. Actually she hadn't seen him she'd heard him and there had been someone else with him. They had been having a heated argument and Lumina had hurried away. No, she hadn't recognised the other voice and she hadn't been able to make out what they were saying. She'd had an idea that the other person with Rock was a man but she couldn't even be certain of that, as both voices had distorted by the sounds of the waterfall. The police had even followed up on this clue and gone to Mineral Town to question Mary's father and boyfriend. Luckily Gray had been in the forge all day with his grandfather and Mary's father had spent the entire day with Gotz on Mother's Hill the other side of Mineral Town from the Valley. So this line of enquiry went no further, to everyone's relief. Harris had an expert come out from the city to see whether the rock fall could have been other than accidental. The engineers also looked at the diggings and the rock fall there. They'd concluded that it would have taken explosives to bring down that amount from the cliff face; no one could have done it manually. There were no explosives kept at the site and the only other supply belonged to the twins. They both testified on oath that they could account for all the gunpowder in their possession and there were none missing. After a good look round the dig the experts had come to the conclusion that the collapse of the cliff face was an accident and had probably contributed to the fall in the chamber. This set the time of death as about 7.30pm. Finally a verdict of accidental death was given and we all breathed a sigh of relief.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I can tell that you're not satisfied with that as an answer. Well, you'd be right to be sceptical but then you already know more than poor Harris did. So what did happen? Did anything go wrong?

Yes, it did go wrong, it went very wrong. For all our careful planning fate took a hand and Rock ended up dead. I'd never wanted him dead that was never part of my plan. Of course there were times when I felt I could have strangled the man, when I wanted to slap his arrogant face and tell him exactly what I thought of him but I never did. Perhaps it was because in my heart I knew that I'd married him without really loving him that I'd given him that leeway. Maybe if I'd loved him more and liked him a little less I'd just have got rid of him and not tried to keep everything. I'd just have raged at the man and kicked him straight out. But I didn't do that because in some way I felt partly to blame for his behaviour. Everyone tells me that isn't so but it doesn't make me feel it wasn't.

Our plan was so simple. Murray and Flora had gathered photographic evidence of Rock's meetings with Lumina, some of which were rather graphic, although both Flora and Murray claimed the photos actually looked worse than they were. This was just what we needed and perfect for the blackmail we had in mind. I was to arrange to meet Rock by the waterfall with backup from Sebastian and Carter. There we would confront him with the evidence and threaten to send the photographs to the police in the city with a signed statement from Lumina, who was still only fifteen, unless he did as we said. At best Rock would be charged with having sex with an underage girl and possibly worse. If he agreed to leave the valley immediately and stay away for at least four years and have no contact with anyone in the valley or Mineral Town then the photos could be made to disappear. I knew Rock would bluster and threaten, then he's plead with me that he'd change and it never meant anything but I was also sure that when I produced the cheque from Romana he'd finally give in and go. I was to have taken a packed bag with me and Sebastian and Carter would escort him to the waiting boat in Mineral Town. Of course we'd make it clear that if he came back before the four years were up or tried to contact either Lumina or myself the photos would be handed in. We'd gone over and over the plan trying to see where problems could occur but, eventually we were sure that we'd be successful. We were so sure that he'd go but he'd be alright. He'd find a new life in the city or anywhere else he wanted to go, he wouldn't be short of money that was sure. Then, when the four years were up if he wanted to return to the valley I wouldn't object. He'd be free to do, as he liked. Things would probably be a little awkward but he could even marry Lumina if that's what he wanted to do. I never thought he'd die.

For all the safeguards we thought we had in place we hadn't factored in one thing and that was Lumina herself. Rock had known Lumina far better than the rest of us and that was our downfall. They say that we fail to recognise that all things change and we were all guilty of that in relation to Lumina, all except Rock. Although she was only fifteen and rather young in appearance, mentally she was no longer the child we all thought her to be. Rock alone had recognised the change in her, the sexual woman she was becoming and she had been no innocent partner. Although Flora and Murray had tried to keep her safe Lumina as far more cunning than any of us thought and her relationship with Rock was a full relationship in every way. Lumina was deeply in love with Rock and had believed every word he said when he told her that he loved her. He'd told her our marriage was over, just a sham. While making love to her he had led her to believe that she was his only lover and that there had been nothing between us since the birth of Joel. Rock had led her on and she'd believed every word of it. He'd even told her he was preparing to divorce me and marry her just as soon as she was of age. Every time they'd met he'd assured her that he loved her and he'd never leave her, that he'd stand by her no matter what. She, in turn, became his lover content to wait, sure that as soon as she was sixteen she'd be able to persuade Romana to let her marry Rock. The whole secrecy of the affair, the danger of discovery, the snatched Romantic meetings were irresistible to a young, unsophisticated girl like Lumina, and Rock knew full well what he was doing.

It was a tiny thing that put paid to all our plans in the end. The wrong person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Romana had thought to keep Lumina happy and occupied by having Ruby give her cooking lessons. Lumina had agreed as it gave her an excuse to be out and about. Fate threw her spanner in the works the afternoon of Rock's death by having Lumina listening at the kitchen door when Dr. Hardy came to visit. He came to congratulate Ruby on the news that she was to have a second grandchild in the winter. Lumina must have heard and her whole world fell apart. She must have gone straight from there to confront Rock. I couldn't have been worse. Apparently she'd come by the farm but she'd seen that Rock wasn't there but she'd spotted him on his way up to the waterfall. She'd waited until Hugh and Murray had left and then followed him. We met her running down from the waterfall in hysterics. She was completely incoherent and flung herself at Sebastian clinging to him almost fainting. Sebastian tried to help her home but Lumina was so distraught they were never going to make it without alerting most of the valley so we took her back to the farm and tried to calm her down. It seems stupid now but we completely forgot about Rock. It took ages just to get any sense out of her at all and when we did we were all so shocked. Finally she told us that she had gone up to the waterfall and Rock had actually been pleased to see her. He should have been I'd used the ruse of a letter from her to get him there in the first place. She'd knocked his arms away when he'd tried to hug her and screamed at him that he was a liar, that he couldn't love her and still be making love to me. She told him she knew about the baby I was expecting. Rock tried to defend himself but he soon got tired of that. He never liked being in the wrong; whatever happened it was always someone else's fault. He told her she was being a silly little girl and why shouldn't he still make love to his wife if he wanted to, it wasn't his fault if I still loved him. Anyway he still loved her, their plans could still go ahead. Lumina had cried and told him that she didn't believe him, how could she when he'd lied to her. She also had news of her own for Rock. It seemed their precautions had been no more successful that Rock and mine had and she was pregnant too. Rock had gone ballistic, told her she was stupider that he'd thought, that she'd ruined everything. There was no way Romana would let them marry now. She wasn't to think he'd run away with her, without her money she was no use to him. Lumina had stood there too shocked to say anything only at all, tears streaming down her face. Then she'd said she'd tell me everything. Rock told her to go ahead I'd never believe her and he'd deny everything. Did she think she was the only one anyway, she'd just been a bit of fun, there were other women in the city already, he wouldn't miss her. No she was on her own. Lumina had tried to fling herself on him and begged him not to leave her but Rock had told her she looked ugly and pushed her away. Lumina was now beside herself with grief and she'd pushed back. Rock was stood near the edge and hadn't expected Lumina to fight back. The grass was extremely slippery; he'd stepped back in shock and lost his footing. To Lumina's horror Rock had disappeared backwards onto the jagged boulders beneath the waterfall. It was all so sudden he'd never even screamed. Still Lumina had heard the sickening crack as Rock's head hit the stones even over the roar of the waters.

Carter left as soon as Lumina finished and hurried up to the waterfall. He was about five minutes and when he came back he'd told us that Rock was lying dead just where Lumina had told us. There was nothing we could do for him. Lumina sobbed and begged us to help her.

Now we had to rethink our plans and fast. I'd fainted at the news and Carter went to fetch Ruby to help me. Also she had to be told. Sebastian had to get Lumina home and Dr. Hardy sedated her as soon as they were there. By the time Ruby arrived I had recovered but we had to tell her about Rock and Lumina and what had happened to them. Soon after that Romana and Chris turned up. We didn't tell Ruby that original plan she had enough to bear with what had really happened. Everyone agreed there was no way we could let Lumina suffer for this, it would help no one. We had to find a way to protect her. By nightfall we had a plan and we put it into action. The twins were right, none of their gunpowder was missing – they'd given it gladly and Carter had used it to create the two landslides.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

So, there you have it, no-one killed Rock it was an accident and yes, everyone was knew it and was in on the cover up, even Ruby.

Things have changed a lot here in the valley since that awful day, five years ago. Rock was buried up by the waterfall, his favourite place and, although Tim and Ruby mourned for him they soon found so much love in their grandson Joel and his little sister, Serena. Lumina left for Switzerland before the funeral for an expensive finishing school and Flora went with her as her companion. There was the obvious holiday before she could take up her place at the school though. She's due back home soon and Romana has been getting everything ready. I don't think she'll stay long but I hope long enough for the two old ones. Flora won't be returning with her though. She married a hunky skiing instructor in Switzerland. They're opening up a skiing school and she's happy there with her husband and their adopted daughter. The valley is full of children now and growing with every year. It has a real future now, gaining a reputation as a wonderful place to live. Gustafa and Nami no longer live in the yurt, though they still keep it for holidays. They live in a smart new house that Gotz built for them in its place and Gustafa is making quite a mark on the music scene. They have two children now, boys, and Nami is hoping for a girl this time. Celia surprised us all by producing first twin girls and then a boy soon after. Muffy finally strong armed Griffin into marrying her and has a wonderful little boy of her own. She tells me that she doesn't plan to leave it there. In fact there are so many children in the valley now that Samantha has decided to open up a school. Gotz is building it right where Van used to hold his market stall. Van has gone into partnership with the supermarket in Mineral Town and he's opened up a branch in the valley attached to Vesta's farm.

Takakura finally retired and moved in with Tim and Ruby. I was going to give them some of the insurance money but they wouldn't take it telling me I'd need it for the children. Still the backers of the dig felt their excavation had been in some way to blame for the fall and, in order to stave of a law suit that no one had dreamt of making, paid up compensation money. I couldn't take it so I gave it to them. They were able to expand and now their inn is becoming a tourist magnet.

As for me, the farm is doing very well and we're getting quite a reputation for exotic fruit and veg. Serena and Joel grow more wonderful as each day passes. Joel looks so like father but has none of his character thank god and Serena is a little version of myself. Carter was my saviour after Rock's death; I depended on him so much and the love between us deepened with every day. We were married last year and everyone in the valley was happy for us. He moved out of that tent at last though he still carries on his work there. Not so much digging now as he is putting together his findings. I'm about to give birth to our first child any day now, the first of many I hope and so does Jon. I'm finally content Father; your farm will never be deserted again. All your hopes have come to pass and the Valley will always be there for us all.


End file.
